International Commercial Contracts
When a cross-border deal goes wrong, the contract decides almost everything: which law applies, where the dispute is heard, how the other side is served, whether a judgment can be enforced where the assets are. We draft and negotiate supply, distribution, licensing and services agreements between U.S. and Chinese parties with the end of the relationship in mind as much as the beginning.
What we look at first
Risk allocation that reflects the deal
Scope, payment terms, delivery and acceptance, warranties, limitation of liability and termination—drafted around how the parties actually work rather than a template's assumptions.
Governing law, forum and enforcement
A New York governing-law clause does not help if the counterparty's assets are in Shenzhen and the judgment cannot be enforced there. We choose the combination of law, forum and arbitration seat that gives you a remedy you can actually use.
Service, notice and language
How notices are given, which language controls when the Chinese and English versions differ, and how a party in China can be served if it comes to that.
Negotiation
We focus on the terms that would matter in a dispute—payment security, IP ownership, exclusivity, exit—and do not spend your time on cosmetic edits.
How the matter proceeds
Understand
Map the transaction, the parties and where the money and assets are.
Draft or review
Prepare the agreement or mark up the other side's draft, with a short memo of what matters.
Negotiate and sign
Handle the back-and-forth and get the deal to signature with the records you will need later.
Common questions
Practical answers to frequently asked questions. Individual circumstances can affect the best course of action.